Critical components of a suicide prevention policy: Suicide prevention in juvenile facilities

[Journal article]. Published in: Juvenile Justice – Youth With Mental Health Disorders:
Issues and Emerging Responses April 2000;VII(1). Using a combination of American Correctional Association (ACA) and National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) standards, the author has developed a comprehensive suicide prevention plan for juvenile facilities that addresses the following key components: staff training, intake screening and ongoing assessment, communication, housing, levels of supervision, intervention, reporting, and followup/mortality review. These components form a continuum of care intended to minimize suicidal behavior within secure juvenile detention and correctional facilities.